News and Articles

Increase nutrition in your food forest using chestnut trees.

Take look at this website for detailed info re: cultivation of chestnut trees. The article includes site selection, planting instructions for direct seeding or starting seedlings in pots, maintenance of your orchard, deer control strategies, pest and pathogen info, fertilization and watering requirements. They also list some other websites for further information.

I am brand new to Spokane, and to the Spokane Permaculture site. Im happy to have found it :]
I have been interested in growing edible/ medicinal mushrooms for a few years now. I just moved to Spokane this past winter, and do not have a lot of connections here yet. I am looking for free/ cheap sources of substrate, particularly hard wood chips, sawdust, and logs (oak, beech, alder, maple, etc) and straw of any kind (wheat, oat, rye, etc). I am also interested in connecting with other folks who are into mycology, whether it be foraging, cultivation, mycoremediation, etc.

Please respond if this is of any interest to you, and let me know what kind of connections/ resources you have!

The library explores the connection between agricultural methods and the health or illness of animals and humans. A study of these materials reveals how to prevent and heal disease and increase longevity, suggests how to live a more fulfilling life and reveals social forces working against that possibility.

Take a look at this tree. It's uses include nitrogen fixation, wild and domestic animal fodder, rot resistant timber good for fence posts and furniture. The spring flowers attract all pollinators. Coppicing increases amount of wood available for use.

Patrick and Andrea Johns plan for a permaculture life

We live on 1.5 acres in the Spokane Valley. We have lived here 35 years. For the most part we have kept the place free of toxic chemicals. We have three 60 year old apple trees, two 60 year old sweet cherry trees, and a lovely, old plum tree. The fruit on that tree is like honey, no bitterness under the skin. There is also a 25 year old Black Walnut that produces a lot of nuts. We just have to figure out how to liberate the nut meats from the outer hull. Our rhubarb, raspberries and horseradish are well established. All the other fruit bearing trees are 10 years old and younger.

Starting a garden and permaculture gathering site in NW Spokane. A product of The Oak Tree org.

This project was initiated by The Oak Tree organization to address food desert concerns in Spokane; for the community to learn, showcase, and glean gardening and permaculture concepts. Ideas and resources are welcome. We are still in the beginning stages, and work according to available resources. Contibutions are welcome!

Transforming Urban Environments for a Peak Oil Future - A Vision Plan for the City of San Buenaventura, CA

Wow! This is the best example of a city wide vision of transforming it's entire city to a more sustainable Post-Peak Oil Future. The report and appendixes are nearly 300 pages with many pictures and diagrams that show the transformation of a city to a Permamaculture Community. This not only demonstrates that cities and local governments recognize the problems approaching us but are also putting the effort forward to solve (or mitigate) them.

Inspiring... I wish it was Spokane... maybe it will reach the planners in our town... soon.

6 housemates and a dog this Spring are planting the seeds along with youth around the area.

I, Adam Brown, pruned up a cherry in the front and planted some gifted Comfrey, from a member at the last meeting, underneath. I also pruned up some original? Lilacs and Honeysuckle that may have been planted in the mid 20th century. My friend Beth Mort helped me start up some compost. My friend Ed Bryant stopped by and gave me some pointers and my buddy Dan Dengler removed one of the 9 Silver maples in order to allow some more Sun on the empty lot where the future greenhouse may be and also to provide lumber for the future dining table.